1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus and an image capturing method. For details, the present invention relates to a technique in which a plurality of captured images of good image quality, used for generating a panoramic image, can be easily obtained.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, for example, in order to obtain a panoramic image using an image capturing apparatus, a technique is used in which an image capturing operation is performed with an imaging region being moved little by little, and frame (or field) images are sequentially recorded from an image capturing start point, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-88754. In addition, overlapping portions of captured images the positions of which are adjacent to one another are extracted from the captured images recorded, and a predetermined arithmetic processing operation is performed for the overlapping portions. Accordingly, a panoramic image is generated in which individual captured images are synthesized in a seamless manner.
For example, while moving a shooting direction in a horizontal direction, a user performs an image capturing operation, and records a plurality of captured images. By joining the captured images in a seamless manner with the overlapping portions of the captured images being subjected to a suitable processing operation, a landscape-oriented panoramic image can be obtained.
In addition, when the image capturing operation is performed with the shooting direction being moved, an operation is repeatedly performed in which the optical axis of a variable optical axis element is displaced in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the shooting direction, a shutter is opened when the optical axis is linearly moved, and the optical axis is quickly returned to an original position when the shutter is closed, and hence a plurality of captured images are recorded. In this way, even if the image capturing apparatus is quickly moved, resolution does not decrease. Accordingly, even if shutter speed is not increased, a panoramic image of good quality can be generated.